


Reunions

by Lacertae



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Bittersweet, Digital Art, Dream Bubbles, Gen, I just thought I would maybe give them some sort of happy ending, Meteor time, New Can Town, Other, fanfic with art, though this is more like bittersweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-26 19:32:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/653670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacertae/pseuds/Lacertae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*AR/PM/WV* WV falls asleep, and meets someone he's missed for a long time in a DreamBubble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunions

**Author's Note:**

> Let's just pretend that Carapaces can have their own dreambubbles, or if not all of them, at least let's just pretend AR can. ;^;

The small piece of chalk the Mayor was holding had started slipping from his fingers by the time he’d finished up the first new wall of the room.

New Can Town had needed a minty fresh background to surround it, something to look at that would reflect the legal, polished appearance of the Town itself, and as its Mayor, it was his responsibility to give it all it needed.

As such, WV had been working extensively on the wall on the far left of the room, using up all the chalk one of the nice humans had alchemized for him; unfortunately, the green had been misplaced earlier on, and now resided inside his stomach, so he had opted for futuristic, neat Aluminium trees –grey and brown and blue– that wouldn’t lose leaves in Fall, thus keeping the place chill and clean.

Somehow he’d lost track of time, and the small forest of trees had evolved, now including a mountain atop the trees and the start of a desert.

The sight of the desert brought an uncomfortable feeling to him, but at the same time, WV’s hands worked on their own, consuming piece after piece of yellow and orange chalk, with only a small dot of green every here and there.

“Hey, Mayor,” a hand was pressed against his shoulder, and WV shook himself out of his daze, looking above his shoulder to see the face of the nice human in red.

Even with the stylish shades, he looked concerned.

“You ok man?” the human stated, nudging WV a bit to confirm he was awake. “You’ve been working on this awesome mural for a good chunk of the day, did you even eat?”

WV fidgeted a bit. To be honest, he hadn’t gotten any good food since he woke up, but at the same time, he’d tasted a few of the leftover green chalk pieces he’d stashed away exactly for this purpose, so he wasn’t really starving.

He still shook his head, shrugging a bit, and the nice human called Dave sighed.

“No good to let yourself dragged so far into your job as a Mayor to forget to feed yourself. You don’t want to lose focus and have all your expectant citizens worry over your wellbeing, right?”

Eyes widening in surprise, WV waved his arms around. He hadn’t thought of that –he didn’t want his dear Cans citizens to worry, not at all! But he wanted to do a great job so–

“Let me go get you something to chew on, hmm?” Dave steered WV away from the wall and forced him to go sit close to the Mayor Hall, staring down at him for a bit to make sure he wouldn’t stand up again. “You sit here and chill with a few cans while I’m gone, ok?”

With a small mournful gaze at his still unfinished wall, WV nodded.

Dave’s lips twitched upwards. He straightened his back and left the room.

When he came back, carrying a sandwich and a bottle of milk, WV was asleep, curled against a pile of cans.

 

***

The heat was what woke him up.

It was hot, so severely hot WV stood up in a flash and started bouncing from foot to foot, fretting as he looked around.

He’d fallen asleep in Can Town, surrounded by his loyal cans, and crayon scenery, but now…

Now he was in the desert.

The sand was scorching hot under his feet, and the sun was shining brightly above his head, and WV hissed and tugged the dirty remains of his clothes all over his head.

He spluttered for some more time, eyes darting everywhere, before he remembered that the nice people travelling with him, who had saved his life, had explained him that they were travelling through dreams situated inside bubbles.

Slightly calmer, as he’d been caught in similar dreams before, WV managed to stop his freaking out long enough to get a good look around; the desert was endless, no matter what side he looked, but in a way, it was familiar –though he couldn’t really explain how.

Were deserts all the same, no matter where you went?

He didn’t know.

Even if this was a dream, WV reasoned, still a bit wary, staying still would surely turn him into an omelette by the time the meteor shifted out of there, so maybe finding a shelter to wait it out would be preferable.

Maybe it would have some nice refreshments.

As he started walking, wiping the sweat rolling down his chin with an arm, WV wondered what dream this was, what memory, and who owned it.

 

The desert seemed to stretch on and on as he kept walking, and it was really annoying in a way, and very familiar in another. He’d already walked through deserts during his life, but it wasn’t really much of a nice memory at all.

Loneliness, and heat, and never enough to eat.

Things had changed for the best afterwards, but WV still worked hard to keep his tummy full, in reminder of all the food he’d missed for a lot of years…

He’d found the weird bunker with the cans and the nice yummy soda and the chalks and the strange machines inside, and then it’d brought him away, high in the sky, above the desert and into another desert, and there…

Squinting his eyes and shaking himself out of his memories, WV looked ahead between the dunes, trying to focus on an elusive dark spot he could see between the heat waves making everything distant seem unfocused.

Well.

That was…

WV tilted his head to the side, and continued making his way through the dunes, for a moment completely ignorant of the heat.

The more he walked towards the small black dot, watching it turn clearer as he got closer, the more he realised that it was really not a mirage, but an actual structure… one he was quite familiar with.

Eyes wide, he broke into a run, hurrying the last few dunes that separated him from the familiar construction.

It was big, and surprisingly enough also somewhat still standing –he remembered that it had been broken down when the pesky black dog had attacked, slicing through his stomach to get the green glowing food from his belly.

The Frog Temple. And the ruins of the giant Frog Head.

Then what…

Was this his own memory?

Blinking in confusion, WV glanced around.

Everything looked familiar. Everything looked like it had been when he’d first arrived there on the Eggy Flying Thingy.

So…

His thoughts were disrupted by a loud noise and something was flung his way, hitting the sand inches from his foot.

WV jumped in the air, letting out a loud squeak of shock, and started flailing around, taken aback by the sudden noise.

What was that, what–

The noise started up again, a mix of a loud sequence of booming sounds that were a lot like shooting, and the sand all around him raised like a mist, making him freak out even more.

He had to hide!

Running towards a nearby rock that hadn’t been there till a moment before (but that he remembered having being there in reality), he hid behind it, shaking all over.

His dear Mayoral Sash was thankfully safe and unharmed, and he breathed in relief, slumping with his back against the protective rock.

Rocks were the best, definitely. And he didn’t have to try eating them anymore, because the nice meteor people gave him real food. The yummy kind.

For a moment, WV lost himself thinking about the joys of being not wounded, not dead, and with nice gentle people around, then the shooting started again, startling him into the reality of this bubble again.

The worse was, it was all so familiar, all so…

Hesitantly, WV peeked from behind the rock, eyes trailing up to the top of the construction in front of him, and…

Ah.

Ah!

It was him! It was him!

A feeling of elation grasped his insides and he jumped up, uncaring for any more shooting coming his way, and started waving wildly to attract the shooter’s attention, though he had it on him already.

 

It was the Aimless Renegade, it was the Aimless Renegade!

Overwhelmed by happiness, WV’s eyes filled with tears.

Of all the people he missed, AR was one of the top ones. They might have been not really friendly at first, with AR shooting at him, wanting him gone for trespassing, but… but then they had been comrades. Friends.

WV had almost forgotten what having friends meant, because he’d been living alone for so long in the ruins of a dead planet.

Things had changed.

He had many friends, but… but gruffy, rough AR and the gentle, sweet Peregrine Mendicant… no, Prospitian Monarch now, was it? Yes, they were his closest friends. The ones who could understand what it really meant to be in a war without wanting to. The ones who understood what it meant to want to be something but with things making it so you couldn’t.

They were tied through the fight between their Lands, they were tied against the enemy.

They were also the same as he was.

The nice kids were friends, and they could understand, but they were also different.

They were not like him. Or like AR. Or like PM.

Ah, but…

WV stopped to think, his exuberance coming to a sudden halt, frozen with his arms stretched above his head.

If AR was here in this bubble… didn’t that mean he was–

With a loud boom, the ground at the left of the rock that was hiding WV exploded, sending sand and ground and rock pieces flying everywhere.

WV screamed towards the top of the tower, calling out, wanting AR to recognise him, not sure what was going on.

Don’t shoot, he yelled, throat hurting. Don’t shoot, it’s me, don’t you remember me?

Another grenade exploded at his right, and WV squeaked and took cover again, scared and trembling.

AR wasn’t stopping.

What…

There was a momentary pause, then a voice croaked in the air, reaching WV’s ears by pure miracle above the loud ringing left by the explosions.

AR was talking, and WV hastened to listen and understand. Maybe he’d recognised him, maybe he was sorry, maybe–

 _Come out, trespasser, allow me to bring you in front of the law_ , AR was saying, angry and preparing another long range rifle. _You entered a no-trespassing zone. Cease all resistance._

WV screamed again when another wave of bullets covered the surrounding area, and with a soft wail he hid his head as close to the sand as he could, waiting for AR to stop.

He didn’t know what to do.

***

The sun slowly went down, and the desert started cooling down, darkness creeping around WV’s quivering body until the cold finally started biting at his feet and hands.

AR had stopped shooting after a while, but the threat of starting back again was still there, palpable, and whenever WV tried to look past the secure safe spot, AR would start shooting again.

He didn’t seem to recognise WV, no matter how much he tried screaming and calling for his friend.

 

This wasn’t supposed to go like that.

They were supposed to have fun, be friends, be happy with each other.

He missed that short moment of happiness, when he’d thought they would all be ok.

Could a dream in a bubble kill?

Could AR really kill him?

Suddenly feeling bold, while still trembling, WV stood up from his hiding spot and walked out in the open. The darkness made it harder for AR to aim, he was sure of it, so he risked it, and called out AR’s name again.

Shooting again, but the aim was off, and WV wasn’t hit.

He wanted to believe that it was partly because AR felt something was off, but…

He called out again.

Again, and again, he waved his arms around, and called for AR.

AR had stopped shooting, though WV couldn’t tell if it was because his words were finally coming through or if it was simply because he couldn’t see him anymore, even with all his screaming, but he knew one thing…

He couldn’t stop now.

This was his friend. This was _AR_.

He tried to make him remember his name, and PM’s. He cried out for him to listen, he cried out the things he remembered AR telling him about his role before the Kingdom of Derse went down.

About them spending time together during the night, exchanging tales of a past long gone.

He wanted him to remember.

He–

Suddenly, something disrupted the momentary calm, making him stop his desperate tirade.

A flutter of wings, wind sweeping across the sand, and a white shape landing in front of him.

 _Stop!_ A voice yelled.

WV looked up in shock, because the tall, winged figure was not one he knew, but it seemed like they wanted to protect him.

They looked like the winged black dog, but they were white, and… and…

 

Those eyes. Soft and determined. He’d seen them already.

 _PM?_ He called out softly, unsure.

The eyes were just the same, but the rest of her…?

She nodded to him, a mere tilt of her head, but WV knew it was enough of an answer.

They were all together again, and WV felt his heart clench.

PM returned to look forwards, still in a defensive position, but there was no more shooting from above. The building was silent.

Slowly, WV reached forwards, hesitantly, to touch one of PM’s hands. She turned around again, her expression softening instantly, and smiled down at him.

He smiled back, grateful to see her, despite all the changes.

 _What happened,_ he asked her, confused.

She sighed, her smile wavering, then she looked up, eyes so sad as she observed the silent ruins.

 _I changed,_ she replied. _I took up this ring to avenge him._

WV felt his heart give a painful squeeze, and refused to look up at the tower.

 _So he’s…_ he couldn’t even finish saying it, but the pain was raw and was there.

 _Yes,_ she replied. _I’m sorry._

He didn’t have to look at her as he replied, softly, _Me too._

Slowly, as if fighting an inner battle, PM took hold of the ring on her finger –a ring WV remembered seeing already, once upon a time– and delicately took it off.

It didn’t seem to be a decision that came easy to her, but she did it anyway, and WV, while not understanding why, still felt a wave of relief as her figure, so different, changed back to the PM he remembered.

 

_I have not changed inside,_ she murmured. _AR, can you see this too?_

Under the light of the stars, PM walked forwards, still looking up at the tower.

 _We missed you,_ she stated, loud enough that the winds of the desert could take her voice up to their lost friend. _Won’t you remember? Won’t you come down? We don’t have much time, and we’d like to spend it with you as friends again._

The sound of a rifle falling on the floor was welcome, and even more welcome was a yellow-clad figure stumbling down the tower, frantic, confused and fast, reaching for PM and WV, and they welcomed him close, tears in their eyes, as they were finally reunited after so long.

 

_I don’t know what happened,_ AR stated, looking down at his mate. _It hurt, but then it didn’t anymore, and I couldn’t remember. I was stuck here, but I’m glad you are back._

 _We can’t stay,_ PM replied. There was grief in her tone and in her face. _I moved through this bubble by chance, because I was attracted to it, but the meteor missed it, and WV can only stay for as long as he sleeps._

 _We can meet again, we definitely can,_ WV interjected. He knew the most about the bubbles, and he was suddenly very grateful that human Dave was so nice to talk to him about them, to have him ready. _The bubble can end, but we can still find you. It’s not a goodbye forever._

_I’m happy to see you._

The three huddled together, eating memory food and exchanging tales of adventures and fond memories, with familiar stars twinkling above them, and for as long as they were allowed to, they remained together, until morning came, and the edges of the bubble turned visible to the two visitors.

PM was the first to go, the ring once again back on her finger, departing from them with a last, mournful wave, holding their hands in hers until she couldn’t anymore, and her wings brought her away, disappearing in the sky.

WV could feel the edges of the desert waver slightly, and with a last, desperate effort, he latched at AR’s arm, clinging tightly at it, not wanting to wake.

 _Thanks,_ AR said, voice a bit gruff, but grateful. _I hope you can find your way back. I will wait._

With a smile, WV nodded, and delicately let go of AR’s arm.

Eyes fluttered close, and then

***

WV blinked, forcing the sleep away from his eyes, and stared in silence up at the empty ceiling above him.

There was a heavy weight on his chest, and he sighed, curling upon himself, wanting to linger on the bubble he’d visited, on the happiness of having seen PM and AR again.

Something rustled on top of him, and WV stared in surprise at the comfortable, warm blanket he had over his body.

It was red, like human Dave’s nice cape, and in fact also felt like that cape.

 

He looked up, hearing a noise, and saw nice Dave holding up the nice troll Terezi on top of his shoulders, as she tried, fruitlessly, to reach for the ceiling, her fingers holding a bright pink chalk piece.

Maybe he’d made a sound, he wasn’t sure, but both teens turned towards him, and they both smiled, although Terezi’s smile was wider and much more feral.

“Hey, you woke up!” she cackled, waving at him and wriggling, making Dave almost topple over. “That’s the perfect timing, Mr Mayor! We are in need of some help if we want to make this place even better!”

Dave snorted softly, tapping his fingers on Terezi’s legs to try and make her stop moving so much.

“C’mon, Mayor, let’s get down to business, we have an entire blank canvas just waiting for us to fill it up, you up for the challenge?”

WV smiled under his bandages, noticing how Dave wasn’t wearing his cape.

New Can Town needed him to work and make it prosper, and even if it wasn’t the same, the friends he had on the meteor were good friends.

He hoped one day that he could show both AR and PM the city.

He wondered if they would be proud of him.

He wondered if Terezi wouldn’t mind having a new Court Magistrate to replace her snarky Pyralspite.

He wondered if PM would be happy to deliver mail to his loyal can citizens.

WV had just a feeling it would make everything just a bit more perfect.

Smiling brightly and waving excitedly his arms around, WV trotted over to the two teens, the red cape tugged on top of his head.

 


End file.
